Affton Family's Holiday Lights Draw Praise, Votes in Patch Contest

The Dolan’s Christmas decorations are so elaborate that Patrick Dolan finally bought a second electric service so they could run the washing machine and microwave at the same time as the nativity scene and the singing Santa.

“I used to always love helping my dad put up my Christmas decorations,” Patrick said. “When I got old enough to stand on the ladder, I just started putting lights up myself.”

This year, the Dolan family is hoping to turn Patrick’s engineering prowess and holiday spirit into a $100,000 donation to the Affton School District through Patch’s Deck the House Contest.

Vote here!

Last year, the Dolan’s house won fifth place in the annual contest, which lets readers vote for their favorite home holiday light display.

And fifth place just isn’t good enough for the Dolans.

“We’re going to kill it this year,” Denise, Patrick’s wife, said. “To hand $100,000 to the schools would just be…”

“…phenomenal,” Patrick said, finishing her sentence and matching her hopeful expression. Maureen, the Dolan’s 9-year-old, attends Gotsch Intermediate School. “If we win this, it’s not what we did. It’s what the community did. All we did was put up some lights.”

The Dolans take the job of earning votes very seriously. Patrick added 5,000 lights this year, drawing a total of more than 100 amps of power. Denise posts on Facebook constantly and has reached out to all her social networks, asking friends to vote for what Affton has come to call “the house with all the lights.”

“People know the house,” Denise said, laughing at the understatement.

At the heart of their efforts is Affton, the small, tight-knit, charitable community they call home and the school district that will educate all three of their daughters.

“This is about this community,” Denise said. “Put Affton on the map.”

FOR MORE

For rules and more information on the Patch Deck the House contest, go to the official site.

To vote for the Dolans, go to this page, click the Vote button and follow the instructions. 

LAST YEAR'S STORIES

• Affton Makes 'Deck The House' Top 24! Vote now!
• Community Pulls for Dolans in Deck the House Contest
• Dolans House Gets 5th in Patch Deck the House Contest!